Chapter 11

In the crisp autumn air, there was no need to wear heavy clothing indoors, especially after a warm bath.

Both Tang Ruan and Ji Jing were dressed lightly. At this moment, she was seated directly on Ji Jing’s lap, acutely aware of the warmth radiating through the thin fabric separating them.

Ji Jing’s body temperature was noticeably higher than hers.

Tang Ruan froze, her mind blank for at least ten seconds. She had never expected Ji Jing to be so… bold. At this point, she had no clue what he was thinking—whether he had seen through her thoughts or if there was another reason entirely.

Everything seemed to pause as Tang Ruan’s mind went into overdrive, too afraid to think deeper about the situation.

Ji Jing’s low, resonant voice echoed beside her ear, brushing against the sensitive skin behind it. The sensation jolted Tang Ruan back to reality. She sprang up from his lap and leapt a safe distance away.

“You…” She raised her eyes to Ji Jing, shock written all over her face.

Ji Jing lifted his gaze lazily, looking at her with a calm indifference, as if the one who had just made such an out-of-line move wasn’t him at all.

“What?” His voice carried a hint of mockery. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Tang Ruan stared at him in stunned silence, sensing where this conversation was headed. It seemed Ji Jing had indeed seen through her thoughts.

And sure enough—

The next words out of Ji Jing’s mouth left her rooted to the spot.

“Tang Ruan.” Ji Jing rose from his seat, towering over her as he scrutinized her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion she couldn’t quite decipher. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you’d better put away those little schemes of yours. I don’t have time to play games with you.”

He paused for a moment before adding coldly, “Take care of yourself.”

With that, Ji Jing walked past Tang Ruan without a trace of emotion and left the room.

–

Tang Ruan stared at the door, now shut once more. She blinked slowly, then steadied herself on the edge of the desk before sinking to the floor, sitting cross-legged.

Ji Jing’s words replayed in her mind. To be fair, Ji Jing had been relatively polite to her. If it had been anyone else, they might have thrown her out long ago.

Tang Ruan let out a self-deprecating laugh.

She understood Ji Jing’s reaction perfectly. To him, her recent behavior was completely out of character. From Ji Jing’s perspective, it must seem like just another of her tricks to secure a divorce. And the truth was, it was.

Tang Ruan didn’t bother explaining herself, because she indeed wanted a divorce. She hoped to push Ji Jing into divorcing her with this approach. His reactions—disdain, abandoning her, ignoring her, and displaying disgust—were exactly what she had aimed for. But for some reason, thinking about the look Ji Jing gave her at the end left her with a faint sadness.

Maybe it was because, over the past few days, Ji Jing had actually treated her quite decently. In her previous life, Tang Ruan had never truly felt warmth. Even if she had experienced it, she had mostly forgotten.

Her past life bore some similarities to the female lead’s: both lost their parents. However, while the female lead’s parents passed away during high school, for Tang Ruan—

It happened in elementary school.

After her parents died, the young Tang Ruan was handed off to her relatives. None of them were fond of her. Their families were already struggling financially, and they were unwilling to take in an extra burden. They had no choice but to accept her. Growing up in such a situation, Tang Ruan lived as a dependent, constantly observing people’s moods, learning to say the right things to the right people, and adapting to survive.

It was the only way for her to manage her life in her relatives’ homes.

She remembered having four uncles, and every year she rotated between their homes, spending three months in each. During the New Year period, no one wanted to take her in—they didn’t want to spend extra money or have a “freeloader” around. Tang Ruan got used to it. From a young age, she longed for money, dreamed of earning it, and wished to escape her situation.

After graduating from middle school, she started selling things on the street to save money for her school fees. In high school, she took on weekend jobs in places with minimal age restrictions, doing anything from serving dishes to cleaning tables. In university, she continued juggling part-time work with her studies.

Although life improved after graduation, Tang Ruan still couldn’t shake her fear of poverty. She kept working relentlessly, trying to build a sense of security. She wanted to buy the things she desired, though she often couldn’t bring herself to spend the money. Above all, she never wanted to go back to living under someone else’s roof.

Now, after arriving in this life, her obsession with money was even stronger.

…

Thinking of this, Tang Ruan massaged her temples in frustration. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to smile and act cheerful toward Ji Jing tomorrow. His words tonight had truly left her at a loss.

After struggling for a moment, Tang Ruan left the study with the book she’d been reading.

–

The night was dark, and moonlight spilled gently through the window.

Behind the villa stood a smaller building where Butler Li and a few servants lived.

At the moment, Butler Li was conducting his final experiments and research for tomorrow morning’s jianbing guozi when he heard familiar footsteps.

He looked up, meeting his young master’s gaze.

“Young Master?” Butler Li was surprised. “Why are you down here?”

Ji Jing’s expression was unreadable. He opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, and answered coldly, “Can’t sleep.”

Butler Li, his tone laced with curiosity, asked with a playful smile, “Has the young lady gone to bed?”

Ji Jing’s hand, holding the beer can, froze momentarily. His long fingers popped the tab open. “I don’t know,” he replied indifferently.

“…” Butler Li was speechless.

Studying Ji Jing’s expression, Butler Li hesitated before tentatively asking, “Did you two have an argument?”

Ji Jing remained silent.

Butler Li sighed deeply. “You two had finally made some progress in your relationship. Why are you arguing again?” He couldn’t help but add, “A man should be magnanimous. Even if the young madam did something wrong, you shouldn’t be angry with her.”

He patted Ji Jing on the shoulder with a knowing air. “Besides, when she ignored you and didn’t fight with you before, wasn’t that even more boring? Now that she’s different, you should be more tolerant. Remember, couples never hold grudges overnight. Arguments at the head of the bed should end in reconciliation at the foot.”

Ji Jing: “…”

He cast a cold glance at Butler Li, turned, and walked away without a word.

“Good luck, Young Master!” Butler Li called out to his retreating figure.

Ji Jing coughed lightly but kept his composure as he ascended the stairs.

Butler Li shook his head at Ji Jing’s back before returning to his task of perfecting the jianbing guozi recipe—his true priority.

–

For the next few days, Tang Ruan and Ji Jing thoroughly ignored each other.

During this time, Tang Ruan received messages from Dai Jun using different phone numbers. She frowned in annoyance, thinking that this man needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.

On Saturday afternoon, Ji Jing was resting at home while Tang Ruan lounged on the living room sofa watching TV. The two maintained a peaceful, mutually non-interfering dynamic, which Tang Ruan found surprisingly comfortable.

She wasn’t particularly angry about what Ji Jing had said. But as someone with her own pride, being exposed like that had left her feeling awkward. She didn’t want to initiate a conversation only to be ignored—it would be too humiliating.

Everything Ji Jing had said was true. She had indeed resorted to these tactics to achieve a divorce. But the thought of how ineffective they had been left Tang Ruan feeling frustrated.

If this method didn’t work, how else could she get a divorce? Did she really have to follow the dream’s advice and live peacefully with Ji Jing, abandoning the idea of divorce? Tang Ruan shook her head vigorously.

No, no. She had to get divorced. Only after a divorce could she have access to the wealth she dreamed of and wake up surrounded by piles of money every day.

…

When Ji Jing came downstairs, the first thing he saw was his little wife sitting there in her current state. He paused in his steps, and for some reason, Butler Li’s words from the other night came to mind.

Over the past two days, Ji Jing had been reflecting on whether his words that evening had been too harsh.

Before he could come to a conclusion, Tang Ruan suddenly turned her head, and their eyes met without warning.

Ji Jing froze for a moment, awkwardly turning to leave, but Tang Ruan softly called out, “Husband.”

He stopped mid-step, looking at Tang Ruan in surprise.

Based on what he knew about her, she wasn’t the type to speak to him so casually, especially after the things he had said.

Ji Jing pursed his lips, meeting her gaze. His tone unconsciously softened. “What is it?”

Tang Ruan smiled faintly, tilting her head as she asked, “Want to watch TV together?”

Ji Jing: “…”

He wasn’t sure what Tang Ruan was up to, but his body moved faster than his mind, and he unknowingly walked over to her side, casually sitting down next to her.

Tang Ruan watched him, a sly smile forming on her lips where he couldn’t see. She thought to herself—

If she kept acting this way, maintaining her behavior from the past few days, Ji Jing would probably never question her motives.

After all, Ji Jing clearly disliked her being clingy. So, if she stayed consistent, maybe one day his frustration wouldn’t just boil over into anger but lead to him outright insisting on a divorce. If that happened, it would be perfect!

Tang Ruan’s thought process had always been a little unconventional. Or rather, she had a tendency to ignore differing perspectives, twisting things to fit her own understanding.

She grinned and leaned toward Ji Jing, her voice soft. “Were you working in the study just now?”

“Yeah.”

Tang Ruan hummed, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she gazed at him. “Tired?”

Ji Jing hesitated slightly, feeling a bit stiff as he sat. He took a deep breath, seemingly ready to talk seriously with his wife. Turning toward her, he said, “Tang Ruan.”

“I’m here,” she replied immediately, leaning closer with wide eyes. “Husband, is there something you need me to help with?”

Ji Jing stared at her, and as the distance between them shortened, he noticed the faint bruise still lingering on her forehead from her fall down the stairs. His brows furrowed slightly as he instinctively leaned closer to inspect it.

“Husband?” Tang Ruan raised her hand and waved it weakly in front of his face, her voice soft. “What are you trying to do?”

As she instinctively leaned back, Ji Jing frowned and asked, “What are you avoiding?”

Tang Ruan stammered, glancing down at herself before teasing him with a mischievous tone. “Husband, I know I’m stunningly beautiful, but we’re in the living room. Can’t you hold back a little?”

Ji Jing: “…”

He should’ve known. His little wife never had anything serious to say.

Already well-versed in her antics, Ji Jing let out a low chuckle, pinched her chin, and leaned in closer. His gaze darkened as he lowered his voice. “What if I can’t hold back?”

The author’s note:
Author: Drama queen Tang Ruan is like an unkillable cockroach.
Tang Ruan: If not for the money, who’d put up with this?
Ji Jing: Since that’s the case, I’ll play along with you.